Canadian, 1887–1958

Caribou, 1958

linocut, stencil on paper, 21/30

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This print was created from a drawing by renowned Cape Dorset camp leader and carver Pootoogook. It was one of several experimental works created between 1957 and 1958, before the first catalogued collection in 1959. The first print to be made in 1957, Joyfully I See Ten Caribou, was also from a drawing by Pootoogook. These earliest prints were made with the assistance of James Houston, who had been working with the south Baffin Inuit on the development and marketing of sculpture since 1951. These experiments led to the creation of a graphic arts program that, in 2009, celebrated 50 years of successful production. The black areas of these earliest prints were made with linoleum floor tiles from Houston’s house, and the blue background was coloured by stencils made from heavy paper.